


First You Lose

by BooBalooPants



Category: Eyeshield 21
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-06
Updated: 2019-01-06
Packaged: 2019-10-05 14:43:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 13,904
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17326937
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BooBalooPants/pseuds/BooBalooPants
Summary: Rui has an interesting time hating Hiruma. Smut and confusion in this direction!





	1. First You Lose

**Author's Note:**

> Old fic: originally posted April 2011.

The first time Rui encounters Hiruma is at the Deimon clubhouse. He doesn't think he can hate someone as much as he hates this spiky haired demon.

He memorises that sharp grin and decides he'll hate it forever, or at least until he wins.

888

"You lost," said Hiruma, and flashed a wallet at Rui. "5 million yen please,"

"Are you crazy?" Rui thought he was. "I don't have that kinda money!"

So that was when Hiruma decided he'd make Rui his slave. Like any normal demon would. Rui just decided he hated Hiruma even more, and wanted to punch him in that sharp mouth.

"Don't feel too bad. You might have a chance to get out of it,"

Rui snorted as he sat on his bike. He noticed Hiruma touch the handles, like it was his own.

Rui revved up and kind of wanted to run over Hiruma's feet.

"Wait, your number," Hiruma dangled his phone.

Rui raised his brows and wanted to tell him to fuck off. Instead he told him his phone number. Hiruma typed it in and then rang it.

"Just checking," he grinned, and Rui felt the vibration of his own phone against his chest, along with the hum of it's ring. "Nice tune,"

Rui looked away and revved even more. "See ya, Deimon."

"Soon," Hiruma called after, and Rui pretended not to hear.

888

Rui looked at the phone flashing Hiruma's name. He'd given up deleting the number and just decided to keep it there. It was pointless when Hiruma kept ringing him all the time anyway.

"You got a chance," Hiruma's voice lost none of it's malice even in the tinny mobile speaker. "Find Eyeshield 21, and I release you from your slavery,"

Rui jumped for his bike; he'd never been so eager to succeed.

It didn't work out, and he ended up staring at Hiruma, who stood on a warehouse roof, laughing hysterically. Rui wanted to climb up there and punch him down.

8

A couple of times Rui wanted to ignore the phone calls. Pinches of dread and fury fought within his stomach when Hiruma's name flashed up, and he wanted to chuck his phone at a wall. Sometimes he did, but he'd always end up picking it up again, and answering.

One time it was barely six in the morning and the sun hurt his eyes as he emerged from bed covers and fumbled in the direction of the damn ringing noise.

"What?"

"I want you to come help me with my team. Bring some of your trash gang too."

" _Now_?"

"Of course, stupid."

Rui grit his teeth. "Alright,"

Hiruma was mean and seemed to think Rui and his gang were great punching bags. But that was fine, because Rui could handle it, and that was probably why Hiruma had picked him.

At the end of the day, the sun was dipping beyond the horizon and Rui could feel bruises on his ribs and blood on his lip.

"Good work," Hiruma grinned at him. It was still all nasty teeth and hateful, but the tone was a little different. Enough for Rui to want to look at him.

"Oh thanks," he muttered.

Hiruma pulled at Rui's sleeves; where Deimon's thug team had made neat work of his jacket. "Looks good on you,"

Rui raised a brow. "You think?"

"Yeah, really enhances the trash punk thing you got going on,"

Rui curled his lip. "D'ya want a fight?"

"Nah," Hiruma shook his head almost pleasantly. Then he knocked on Rui's helmet. "I'm on the back, right?"

"Ah?" Rui stared, too horrified to say anything, as Hiruma clambered on the bike, and suddenly hands were wrapped round Rui's waist and there was heated breath on his neck.

"We going, or just gonna sit enjoying the fucking view?"

"Where?" Rui felt violated.

"Drop me off home, retard."

Rui snarled and revved the bike. "Hold on, Deimon."

He zoomed down the streets, took purposefully bumpy routes and wished many times that Hiruma would fall off and that would be the end of the entire nightmare.

Instead he listened to Hiruma's whoops and laughs, telling him to go faster.

Rui didn't know where Hiruma lived, but it wasn't too far out. It was an ordinary looking house with an ordinary looking driveway. Still Rui felt nervous as he stopped the bike and blinked up at the windows, wondering who might live there.

The weight that had become warm against his back fell away.

"Wait, chameleon," Hiruma touched his shoulder only a second.

"What?"

"Got something for you."

Rui waited, confused and anxious, as Hiruma disappeared into the house. He leaned forward on his bike, sighed, and wondered how he'd become such a tool.

Hiruma reappeared before Rui could properly consider it. He was holding a small box.

"Don't open it till you get home,"

Rui took it doubtfully. "Will it kill me?"

Hiruma laughed. "Yeah,"

Rui revved the bike and sped away.

88

He didn't open the box for a day or two. He wasn't sure why. It just sat there on his desk, a weird curiosity he was trying hard to resist.

After failing math badly for the second time, he got home and tore into the box.

It was a silver lighter. There was a little note next to it;

" _You should quit, but it does look good on you."_

Rui smirked. For some reason it cheered him up.

 


	2. Something He'd Like

He wanted to go watch Deimon play, just to check out their weak spots. That's what he told everyone else too.

"We got nothin' better to do,"

They'd all agreed.

Rui sat watching Deimon vs Sphinx, feeling so hot that he thought he might pass out every now and then.

When Deimon won Rui was kind of happy. He liked that his bruised ribs hadn't gone to waste, and then the way Hiruma noticed him with that horrible grin.

"So you kept em," he was looking at Rui's ripped jacket sleeves.

"Yeah,"

Hiruma smirked. "You look like you're gonna die,"

"It's  _hot_ ," Rui wiped a hand over his forehead, and then felt the hand on his sleeve, tugging him up and away from the excitement of the crowd.

8

There was a stretch of beach out before them, and before that was a little surf house.

"The best things about playing away," Hiruma grinned. "Getting to see the sights."

"Surfing?" Rui was apprehensive.

"Only if you want to," Hiruma cackled, then led him into the surf house.

It was small and a bit too uncomfortable for that matter. Rui wondered how he'd been coaxed here. The sun was probably frying his brain.

"Sit," Hiruma ordered, and pushed him into a chair anyway.

Rui watched, unable to hide his nerves, as Hiruma grabbed a coke can and chucked it to him. Rui stared at the drink for what was obviously too long.

"I didn't poison it,"

Rui snapped it open and drank fast. It was a nice relief.

Hiruma was watching him with what looked like a satisfied face. "Better, chameleon?"

Rui nodded.

"What happened to your smart tongue? I'm starting to miss that thing."

"I don't wanna talk to you," Rui kept his eyes on the roof, which was thatched and pins of light shone through in random places. He felt like he was trapped in an oven with the devil. "I wanna punch your face in,"

Hiruma tapped a long finger against his coke can, laughing just a bit too eerily. "Makes sense," then he tipped his head, following Rui's gaze to the roof. "I guess I owe you some thanks, anyway. Since your dirty scumbag scuffle technique actually worked."

"Well 'course it would," Rui bypassed Hiruma's insulting tone. He'd snatch every compliment he could take from the bastard. "Never fails,"

"Did against Deimon,"

"Shuddup." Rui wanted to punch him again.

Hiruma swigged on his drink, like nothing could rattle him. Rui found it infuriating, and yet he couldn't stop watching.

"So thanks. I suppose," Hiruma said lazily, and wiped his mouth.

"Don't mention it," Rui dug in his pocket to look for a cigarette.

He was rather dismayed to learn he didn't have any. He squeezed the coke can instead, listening to it tink and noticing Hiruma's grinning face blurred in it's reflection.

"Thanks for the stupid lighter, by the way," he said to the reflection. "Even though I already have one."

"I know. I just thought this one looked cooler."

Rui kicked at the ground. "D'ya smoke?"

"Used to."

"Why'd you stop?"

"Just did," Hiruma shrugged. "Wasn't hard,"

Rui pulled a face. "Really?"

"Yeah,  _really_ ," Hiruma grinned in that familiar way again, though there was something different flashing in the devil's eyes. Rui only noticed it because he'd been noticing Hiruma way too much recently. Not through choice, obviously.

"You could...since you're thanking me n' all..release me from my slavery?" he was half sarcastic, half hopeful. He didn't particularly want to beg.

"No," Hiruma said at once. "I can do something else if you want, though."

Rui scowled at the ground. He definitely wasn't going to beg. "How 'bout get me some cigarettes?"

Hiruma shook his head; "don't think so,"

"Y'know, the whole point is to do something I'd _like_ ,"

"I know,"

There was barely a moment to pause, before Hiruma started approaching him. There wasn't much room in the surf house anyway, and it didn't take long. He blocked the pins of light that poked through the roof with his spiky hair, and suddenly Rui could see the amber flecks of his eyes, and how they dilated in the soft dark of the room.

"What're you..."

A hand trailed across Rui's thigh, creeping up to his groin in a slow sort of way. His hands twitched, wanting to form fists, but his mind wasn't letting him complete the action. Hiruma's eyes were hooded and bright and too close...

Then there was the unmistakable zip of his pants, and Rui staggered back, but found himself blocked up against a wall. Stupid wall.

"It won't take long," Hiruma said easily. "I'm good at this,"

"You-" Rui gulped. He felt the hand around his length with a rush of breath he didn't know he'd been holding.

It was warm and held him tight but not too tight, moving, up and down, deliberate and rather slowly. A betraying sensation shivered through Rui, and he grabbed Hiruma's arm.

"Get...get  _off_!" he tried to pull away, but Hiruma was far stronger and more determined than Rui had expected. Or maybe he just wasn't fighting it hard enough.

Hiruma's other hand came across his neck; pressing not so deeply, but keeping him in place all the same, so that he was a bit uncomfortable.

"I promise, you'll like it," Hiruma said with insistence.

Rui felt far too hot against the wall. "Kah! What the hell are you playin' at?" the arm hurt his throat a bit.

Hiruma ignored him, and his hand slid up and down Rui's length once more, faster this time. Rui shifted, his back pushed hard against the wall. He wanted to get away, of course he did...

And yet a small moan escaped his mouth, and he saw the look of triumph on Hiruma's face.

"See, you  _do_  like it, don't you?"

Rui hated him. "Fuck you,"

"Fuck  _you,_ " Hiruma corrected lightly.

He took his arm away from Rui's neck, and Rui could breathe better, although for some reason it all felt shallow and a little too fast anyway. Spidery fingers moved over his chest, up to his jaw line and then found his mouth.

Rui involuntarily opened it; it felt better to breathe that way. He was so hot, and his tongue lolled out, searching for something.

Hiruma's mouth seemed to curve up, before his face became so close that it blurred, and then lips pressed into Rui's, kissing him hard.

His head knocked against the wall, but Rui barely sensed it. His skin was on fire and Hiruma felt hotter against him, with a mouthful of pin sharp teeth devouring him, making him pant...

"You like that, hm?" Hiruma said, close to his ear.

Rui grimaced. "Ke...keh! Why're...why're you doin' this..." he writhed a bit; a half hearted attempt at an escape, but that was all it was. He was shaking, and he knew Hiruma was going to get what he wanted. Fuck, he always did.

Hiruma's hand was so fast, moving with an intent that matched the look on his demon face. Like something on the football field, like those moments when he knew he'd won. Rui always hated that face.

His legs trembled, and he slid down the wall, feeling unbalanced in far too many ways. Hiruma followed him.

"Told you...you'd like it," the demon said, through a messy kiss.

Rui gasped into his mouth, hands quivering and then finding a hold on Hiruma's shoulders. He gripped them hard, and dipped his head, trying to bite back wretched moans.

He felt the shake of Hiruma's chest as the demon laughed. "I want to see you come, Rui. Come for me,"

Rui struggled weakly. It would've been possible; he could still get out. He could make use of what he was good at; beating the crap out of people, and just get out of there. He gripped Hiruma's wrist tight. He could twist it...he could still get away...

That wrist was moving way too fast though.

Rui shuddered and arced back. To hell with it.

He squeezed his eyes shut and bumped hard against the wall, feeding off a brief but wonderful spell of ecstasy. For a few seconds he didn't care about what or who he was clinging to.

Then he heard Hiruma's soft laugh, and wanted to die.

He couldn't open his eyes, he didn't want to see what Hiruma thought of him.

"What's up?" the demon sounded annoyed.

Rui opened his eyes. He expected Hiruma's mocking face. Only it wasn't.

"You okay? You did enjoy that, didn't you?"

Rui didn't know what to say. He was hot and sticky and sweaty and everything he shouldn't be in front of Hiruma.

 _Fuck_. He stuffed himself back in his trousers, doing his fly up dangerously fast.

"Don't...don't tell anyone,"

Hiruma's frown dissolved into a smirk. He pulled a hand through Rui's hair, and Rui smacked it away. "I won't tell," Hiruma said. "But tell me you fuckin' enjoyed it, at least?"

Rui kept his eyes on the floor. It was easier like that.

"What d'ya think?"

Hiruma laughed indulgently; "I knew it," his mouth moved into a sly line. "But the pleasure was all mine, Chameleon."

It was hard not to look at Hiruma then.

Hiruma was still smirking; "You look really hot when you come, Just like I imagined," he wiped a hand on his pants, and Rui realised it was all his own mess.

Hiruma stood up and left the surf house, and Rui was left to his own thoughts.

He wondered whenever it was that Hiruma had ever imagined him like that.

 

 


	3. Playing Fair

"You're late," Hiruma frowned in the doorway.

"Yeah, sorry," Rui said, not sorry at all. He looked past Hiruma's shoulder to see a garish kitchen, all bright flowered walls and a polka dot floor. "Nice decor,"

"It's my parents," Hiruma folded his arms. "You gonna come in, or what?"

Rui had never been inside Hiruma's apartment before. Waiting just outside of it seemed close enough most of the time. Now Hiruma was inviting him in because he needed help picking stuff up, or something. Rui thought it was all a bit vague and suspicious.

He sloped kind of nervously into the kitchen, hands in pockets and feeling weird and out of place.

"I need you to carry stuff for me," Hiruma said, like that was supposed to explain things.

"Stuff?"

"Don't worry, nothing illegal."

Rui glanced at a picture of a vase of flowers on the wall. "I wouldn't put it past you."

"You can talk. Now shut up."

Rui rolled his eyes, and his tongue. "Whatever."

Hiruma smirked over his shoulder; "c'mon, you bastard."

It was like the surf house had been another world, designed mostly just to mess with Rui's head. Although granted a lot of that sort of stuff had carried itself back into this world. Rui didn't dare mention a thing about it, and Hiruma seemed to have forgotten it'd ever happened. Like hand jobs were all fine and normal with your football rivals.

Perhaps he did that sort of thing with guys all the time. The idea didn't surprise Rui, but it did make him feel a bit worse about it all for some reason.

"We got to get them in the clubhouse," Hiruma said, as he piled a fifth box on Rui; so he was teetering like an unstable tower. "Got that?"

"Just..." Rui grumbled. "Can I ask what the hells in these things?"

"That'd be a secret."

It was easy to go back to hating Hiruma again, Rui thought. And it wasn't like he'd ever stopped, anyway. He'd try to ignore the way Hiruma touched his shoulder, and watched him down the steps, and grabbed his collar before he went flying down the driveway.

"Y'know, I thought you'd be better at this, with those freakish arms of yours," Hiruma said, sounding a bit disappointed. Mostly amused.

Rui would've glared, if only he could see through boxes.

"Kah!" was all he could think to say, and then pretend he was punching the demon in his amused face.

"Nice job," Hiruma touched him on the back as they fastened the boxes on the bike.

Rui climbed on it, budging forward a bit for Hiruma to follow. Hiruma's hands were now familiar round his waist. They always felt a little too rough, but Rui didn't really mind that.

"Sometimes I think about releasing you from your slavery," Hiruma said, close to his ear.

"Ah?" Rui was hopeful.

"Yeah. Then I remember how much fun this is."

888

Next time Rui saw Hiruma it was one of those times you just didn't want to. Not that Rui was ever particularly happy to see him.

"You ever gonna smile, chameleon? It's not the end of the world."

It felt like it. Rui dug in his pocket, searching for his lighter and cigarettes. He always wanted to smoke more when Hiruma was around. "Why'd you come on results day?"

Hiruma looked like he knew that Rui had failed almost everything again. Rui didn't particularly care if he knew, he just didn't like the idea that he knew so easily.

"You kept my present," Hiruma said instead, noticing the flash of the silver lighter.

"So," Rui breathed out a stream of smoke, watching it disappear into the cracks of the derelict school roof. "Why the fuck ya here anyway, Deimon?"

Hiruma gave him a wolfish sort of look. "I'm releasing you from your slavery."

"What?"

"You heard."

Rui tucked the lighter back in his coat. He looked at Hiruma warily. "Are ya playin' with me?"

"No."

"I don't believe ya."

Hiruma was mockingly upset. "Don't you think I can be nice, _ever_?"

Rui pretended to consider. "No," he raked a hand through his hair, trying and probably failing not to look grateful.

Hiruma never even came to his school, never mind told him things like this. Maybe it was all too good or just too fucking weird to be true.

"I kinda felt bad for you, seeing as football is the only thing you seem to be any good at," Hiruma carried on, confirming that he was still a bastard after all.

Rui raised a brow. It was strange hearing Hiruma say he was good at something.

"That's better."

"What?" Rui was confused.

"You're smiling...kind of. Still needs a bit more practise though," Hiruma leaned forward and snatched Rui's cigarette. He held it for a few long seconds and then flicked it on the ground.

Rui stared at it, wanting to be furious but somehow not really finding the enthusiasm for it. "I should kill ya for that," he muttered.

Hiruma laughed loudly. "So kill me. Not my slave anymore, remember."

Rui balled his hands. "Keh. I would kill ya."

He didn't do anything though. He just watched the dying cigarette. It was better than facing Hiruma's expectant face.

It didn't really work. Rui felt fingers under his chin, and then tilting his head up. He had no choice but to return that sharp gaze. Hiruma always looked at him with frightening scrutiny.

"Do it again."

"What?" for some reason Rui could barely hear his voice.

"Smile. Try and smile," it was pretty cruel the way he said it, like even the most base concept was a difficult thing for Rui to manage. Ironically, he did find it hard to manage. Hiruma was good at making him feel like that.

"You like taking the piss, don't you?"

Hiruma shrugged. "I like lots of stuff."

Then he leaned in and Rui felt his mouth sudden and warm against his own.

The kiss was slow and Rui didn't realise how much he needed it. He reached out, holding onto Hiruma's collar, keeping him in place for as long as he could manage, and letting his tongue fall into Hiruma's, finding sharp teeth in his mouth, and whimpering with the sensations that the demon brought to him.

Eventually though Hiruma pulled away.

"You taste like smoke," the demon licked his lips.

Rui didn't know what he was supposed to say to that. He didn't even know if he'd just been insulted. But his mouth was numb and sore and he wished Hiruma hadn't pulled back.

"You punks need to practise for the Christmas bowl too, don't think I'd forgot," Hiruma said, like they hadn't kissed or done anything. "I'm just playing fair."

Rui wanted to tell Hiruma he never played fair, but his throat was dry. And what did a reputation matter when it came to Hiruma? He'd learnt enough about that in the surf house.

Hiruma was grinning at him. "What's up?"

Rui wiped his mouth, gathering his senses. "What was that for?"

Hiruma seemed thoughtful. "Goodbye kiss. Deimon are off to America for a few months."

Rui pretended not to be shocked. "Not some vacation, I take it?"

"Hardly. Gonna train 'em into the ground."

Talk about football made everything normal, and Rui could feel his heart slowing down again. "Keh. Good luck then, you psycho. You're gonna need it."

Hiruma grinned wickedly; "fighting talk, chameleon."

8

Rui didn't see Hiruma for just over three months, not that he was counting. He'd check his phone too, and definitely wasn't disappointed when there wasn't a text from the stupid demon.

There was no debt anymore. And Rui was happy about it.

In between all of that, Rui focussed on football. Because it was what he loved and what he was good at, and he missed his dad being proud of him. Sometimes he imagined Hiruma telling him he was good too, as he ran along the field and pretended to ignore how exasperated his team looked. It was okay. It was easy to tell himself it'd be okay.

One time he imagined Hiruma when Megu was there. Megu was beautiful and strong, and she scared the crap out of Rui. Sometimes she gave the idea that she might like him.

It was when they were finished with another merciless day's practise and were sore and aching, Megu held Rui's wrist and tipped her head up to kiss him.

Of course he let her. And he closed his eyes and saw Hiruma.

888

One day Rui's phone rang, and Hiruma's number flashed up.

"Yeah?"

"Miss me?"

"Like hell."

"I thought so," Hiruma sounded amused. "Just checkin' in on you punks. Hows training been going?"

Rui blinked around the classroom, where all his gang were sloping about like a bunch of depressed zombies.

"Okay."

"Just okay?"

"Better than that," Rui amended. "Like I'd give you the details."

"Yeah, well just warning you, we're gonna pound you into the ground."

Rui smirked. "Thanks for the warning."

There was a tiny pause between them, in which Rui could hear Hiruma's soft chuckle. Rui wasn't sure why he was suddenly nervous, but his throat tightened as he spoke.

"How're you?"

He didn't usually ask how people were. Especially not people like Hiruma.

Hiruma didn't sound surprised though; "pretty good. Kinda missing Las Vegas."

"Vegas?"

"Yeah, it was a good time," a short pause. "Maybe one day you can get your punk ass out there too."

"Yeah, right."

"Are you alright?" Hiruma asked. It sounded normal and like he didn't really care, because Hiruma didn't really care about much of anything besides football. But Rui was surprised anyway. Even if he wasn't feeling that great, it was nice to know someone was interested to know. And it was Hiruma. Not that it made any difference who it was.

"I'm okay."

"Really?" Hiruma sounded like he didn't believe him. Rui hated how he was always right.

"Fine. Now piss off, Deimon."

"Kekeke. You too,"

Rui listened as the phone hung up, and stared at it for a while. Then he stood up and glared round the classroom.

"C'mon you idiots. Let's get training."

 

 


	4. A Good Summer

"Hey loser. Nice entrance today," Hiruma leaned against Rui's bike like it was still his own. "I missed this thing. One day I'll steal it from you."

"I'll hafta kill ya though," Rui pretended to be regretful. It made Hiruma laugh, and he pulled at Rui's helmet.

"Keh! Whatta ya doin'?"

"Nothing," Hiruma managed to pry the helmet off, and look very pleased with himself. "Just kinda missed your stupid face too."

"What?" Rui stared at his bike handles, not knowing where else to look. "You're crazy."

Hiruma's satisfied mouth broadened, and he bent a bit, before ruffling a hand through Rui's hair. It wasn't much, but Rui felt himself burn, like something entirely too intimate had just happened.

He batted the hand away and cleared his throat. "Ya...ya wanna lift anywhere?"

"Thought you'd never ask."

Hiruma placed the helmet back on Rui's head, and then fastened it for him. The way skin brushed on his jaw and throat; it was crazy how much Rui cared to notice, but there it was. Rui guessed that was Hiruma's way of thanking him.

There was also the way the demon's arms fit round his waist like an old jigsaw, and the warmth there was something he could get used to, or he was already. He wasn't sure.

"How was it, taking the godly Eyeshield 21 to the game? Bet you felt special?"

"Like fuck," Rui scoffed. "I think he broke my ribs holding on so tight."

"Not like me, then," Hiruma's arms tightened just a bit round Rui, making him feel dizzy for some reason. "You do drive like a maniac though. Bet he was scared out of his fuckin' mind."

"Yeah," Rui knew Hiruma was grinning behind him. It made him want to. "It was kinda funny."

"I bet," Hiruma's fingers moved up his stomach.

It was just a tiny motion, like he was adjusting himself, but Rui heard his own heart in his ears, and he wondered whether Hiruma heard it too. He'd probably think that was pretty funny.

"That's why I like it," Hiruma said, his voice a little quieter. "Let's go."

"Where to?"

"Clubhouse."

The journey was short, way shorter than Rui had wanted. And he wanted to talk to Hiruma for some reason. He didn't know what about, but he just wanted to.

Three months seemed a long time.

He pulled up just outside Deimon High, noticing the anxious faces everyone gave him.

Hiruma spoke into his ear as he got off the bike; "See, you can come here for an ego boost whenever you like, since everyone's so terrified of you."

Rui grinned vaguely. "Thanks."

888

888

Even if Hiruma wasn't good at saying thanks, he seemed to be alright at showing it.

"Are you nervous?" Hiruma said, as he pulled Rui into him, and kissed him with some force.

Rui never knew what to say. Fuck,  _of course_  he was nervous, and he didn't really know what was happening. But like hell he'd ever say it. He pushed Hiruma back. "I'm not-"

"I mean about the tournament," Hiruma smirked. Rui wanted to punch him for maybe the millionth time now. "You know this is our last chance for the Christmas Bowl."

"I know. Why should I be nervous? I'm gonna win."

"Hah," Hiruma pulled him close, so that their foreheads touched and Rui had to look at that taunting face. Well, he didn't have to. He closed his eyes.

He felt the hand, now very familiar, as it curved over his face, thumbing his lip and tracing his jaw line. He'd hate himself for it later, but for now he could imagine that Hiruma loved it as much as he did.

"Why'd you want another match with us, anyway?" he murmured.

"Why do you think?"

The question invited Rui to open his eyes. When he did Hiruma was watching him expectantly, as if he knew the answer was so easy, and Rui should know it too.

Rui didn't know. "To torment me?" he guessed.

Hiruma's smirk became unsteady. He shook his head. "You should be flattered. I only picked the people who were worth the fuckin' challenge."

Rui opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say.

"Idiot," Hiruma rolled his eyes and sighed, then kissed him some more.

It was funny; the insults always disappeared when Hiruma did that, and Rui could forget about them. Maybe that was where he was going wrong.

"You must really hate me," he broke away from the demon, with some effort. "To do all this."

"Do what?" Hiruma said sweetly. "You think too much, which is surprising," he tapped Rui's head. "I didn't even know you had a brain in there."

Rui turned away to look at anything else. "Fuck you," he said, not really meaning it.

" _Really_?"

A hand curled under Rui's top. He was still hot and sticky from the game, and his muscles were tense enough. Hiruma was good at making things worse though.

"Stop it," Rui caught the demon's roaming hand, pushing it firmly back. "You're mental."

"Okay, so you're not totally stupid," Hiruma said, and seemed halfway apologetic. But that would mean Rui had lost his mind, and he liked to pretend he still had a bit of it. "You were good today. I mean, like, really fast."

Rui just stared at him; he didn't like to acknowledge a compliment, nor completely ignore it either. It was better just to stare, and wonder when Hiruma got his temporary brain transplant.

"That hard ass coach of your's must be doing something right, hm? What is it? She giving you a good fuck after training?"

Rui grimaced and could feel himself burning. "You dunno what you're talking about,"

"Nah, that's not right," Hiruma trailed his fingers back along Rui's stomach, making him quiver. The demon was getting to be expert at ignoring anything that came out of Rui's mouth now. "You're as tense as a fuckin' tight rope."

" _Fuck off_ ,"

"I'm right though," Hiruma's fingers found Rui's lower torso, smoothing over the flesh there. In his mind, Rui swung an arm and punched Hiruma away. It was easy to imagine that, even when his body ached with the demon's touch, and his voice became breathless and faint in his throat.

"Don't you ever get tired of it? Being right all the time?" he asked, digging his hands into Hiruma's shoulders.

Hiruma grinned like a crocodile. "Not at all," and he put his hand in Rui's pants, making him gasp.

It was hard to stay angry, when Hiruma held him like that, and worked him like some clockwork toy that definitely _did_  need unwinding.

There were some distant shouting voices, and it reminded Rui where he was and what he was doing. He cursed and grabbed Hiruma's busy hand.

"It'd be cruel if I stopped now," Hiruma pouted.

"So stop. You're good at that."

"Fine," Hiruma's hand stayed on Rui though, and his eyes stayed on Rui's like it was some horrible staring contest that Rui was bound to lose. Of course, he always lost!

Rui bit his lip and bowed his head. "I fuckin' hate you."

"Oh well. You'll get over it," then Hiruma moved his hand away, and everything else.

There should have been relief, but it was more like a punch in the stomach, and the lost anticipation of something he'd become so stupidly attached to. Rui always felt like he was in too deep, whether it was a math exam, football or Hiruma smiling at him like he knew everything in the world. But this was the moment he knew it for sure.

He swung back an arm, then punched the wall with all his might. He kept it there. It was kind of satisfying, to let the throbs of pain lance through his arm like that.

"I told you," Hiruma said, sounding indifferent. Then his hand covered Rui's fist. "You played good today,"

Rui glared at the demon's hand, and out of the corner of his eye saw how graceful he was; the way he pried Rui's fist away from the wall, and then even looked at it like he didn't like it.

"You're still a retard though."

And Hiruma was still a bastard.

Rui wanted to say something like it didn't hurt, but those voices were getting closer. Then Rui remembered how crazy it was, standing behind a clubhouse in broad summer daylight. Because Hiruma didn't like logical things, like going inside the clubhouse, where there'd be keys and no-one to find them.

Not that Rui wanted to do anything like that.

Hiruma slipped a hand round his back and kissed him again, but too slowly, like he was aware they'd get caught.  _Bastard._ Rui pushed him away.

"It's been a good summer," Hiurma looked amused, "Don't you reckon?"

The demon's eyes were amber bright, too much for Rui to ignore. Background noises were just faint buzzing in his ears. They didn't mean anything anymore. It was funny, how easily he forgot to panic when he just looked at the demon like that.

"Mm," he breathed out, and it felt like he'd been holding it forever. "It's been good."

Shadows were casting only yards away from them, and Rui easily recognised Megu's silhouette. She was waiting for him, just like everyone else, wondering where the hell he was.

"See you soon," Hiruma hand was still light on Rui's, and the demon squeezed it just a bit before he turned away. "Get some ice for that, you idiot."

Rui watched him leave, and then he leaned heavily against the wall. His knuckles were sore and so were his lips. He smoothed a hand through his hair and waited a few minutes.

888

When Megu met him she frowned at his fist and then ordered him to pick up his bike. She was never very sympathetic, not until Rui was dragging his feet and thinking he might die.

Then she knelt down to him and told him not to worry, and that Hiruma wasn't that bad.

Of course he wasn't. He was never  _that_   _bad._ That was the problem, after all.

 

 

 


	5. Only Temporary

" _What's the difference between us?"_

Rui had cried when he lost. It didn't really matter anymore; Hiruma was always there anyway, and Hiruma was always there when he lost.

It was good, it reminded Rui why he hated him.

"What's the difference between us?"

When Hiruma said it his voice spiteful, echoing all about the changing room and bouncing off all the walls, so even if Rui wanted to escape it he couldn't.

"Why're you still here?" he muttered.

"Why does it bother you?" Hiruma's foot steps clicked and Rui could feel his shadow, crossing over his face and telling him exactly where he was.

"Can't ya fuck off and leave me alone, just for a minute?"

"Nope."

Rui gripped the cold bench bars, wanting them to break. "I don't want you to see me like this."

The shadow fell away. "I don't either," Hiruma suddenly sounded close.

Rui swallowed his surprise and blinked, tilting his head up only a little to find the demon crouching in front of him, eyes all hard and narrow.

"Why're you being so pathetic? You make me feel fuckin' sick."

"I told you to fuck off," Rui said, feeling sick too.

"Just cos you lost one game. Big fuckin' deal. It's not forever."

"It was my last chance," the words were small in Rui's mouth, like he'd only just tried them, and they tasted really bad.

Fingers snatched his wrist, tight and painful. Hiruma pulled Rui's arm up;

"You're not made for last chances, you bastard. Look at you, you fuckin' freak!"

In a weird way, Rui could hear Hiruma's compliment. He pulled away though, and kept his eyes on the floor.

"Do you want to punch me? Will that make you feel better?" Hiruma asked.

Rui shook his head.

"Well then, what? You're such a fuckin' idiot."

There was a fierce slamming sound, and Rui felt the bench vibrate beneath him. He looked to see Hiruma's fist embedded in it, and then that twisted sneer which graced his demon face. There was a strange look in his eyes though.

"There's a lot of differences between us _,_ " Hiruma spoke through his teeth. "Thank  _fuck,_ "

He grabbed Rui's shirt, and then his mouth was all over Rui's, rough and with an angry sort of passion. Rui imagined turning away, but it was impossible, and it felt good. Hiruma was a bastard like that.

He sank into the bench, elbows touching cold metal and back pressing hard into the bars. Hiruma was against his chest, a harsh weight and hot breath in his mouth, parting it and demanding entrance.

It was like an attack, only not really. Rui wasn't sure when he'd become so easy, so compliant for something like this. But it was okay; it only ever happened with Hiruma.

A hand was quick on his pants, barely fumbling to find his length-and  _fuck_  he was already hard- pulling it out and sliding up and down, fast and eager.

Rui flinched and moaned. He curled his arms round Hiruma's body, fingers biting into skin and not wanting to let go; he didn't think he could anyway. There was a pressure against his lower torso, and then precise words near his ear;

"I want to fuck you,"

Hiruma sounded like he knew exactly what he wanted. Well he always did.

Then there was a pause, as if he was giving Rui the chance to back out. Rui hated him for that. Because Hiruma knew exactly what Rui wanted.

He pulled Hiruma back down, slipping into the warmth of his mouth again. It was softer somehow, and the demon's hand moved through his hair in a more careful sort of way. If it was anyone else it would've been something like affection. But this was Hiruma and those were crazy ideas.

The demon shifted, pulling Rui up with him. The wall was cool against his back, a strange relief against his flushed body. He opened his mouth, finding Hiruma's fingers rimming his lips, and then inside his mouth, wet on his tongue. He sucked on them with a longing he didn't know he had, closing his eyes and bowing his head against Hiruma's shoulder.

"So I'll take that a 'yes', then?" Hiruma said. He clenched at Rui's rear, squeezing it and finding a good enough grip.

Rui wrapped his legs around Hiruma's back. Pinned between the wall and Hiruma was sort of okay. Actually it was way better than okay, and he didn't think he'd last much longer.

" _Fuck_..." he wasn't sure what he was cursing at. Probably himself. Or the situation. No, it was both, definitely both. He heard Hiruma's soft laugh and the way he moaned, and stopped caring.

Bracing himself, he held onto Hiruma's shoulders, and then the demon hoisted him up some more. It was pretty uncomfortable, and Hiruma's stomach rubbed against him with a painful friction.

His back hit the wall again with a sharp jolt, and unfamiliar sensations burned within him; painful, but not enough for him to pull away. He was sliding up and down the wall, and something hot was trickling on his stomach.

"S'okay," Hiruma said, and then kissed him in that weird softer way again. "Open your eyes,"

The split between pleasure and pain was unimaginable, and Rui tipped his head to see Hiruma watching him. He realised the demon was actually fucking him; deep and slow, and with a face that was equal in intent and...Rui didn't like to consider it.

Fuck. Hiruma didn't actually care.

And anyway, the face relaxed into a breathy moan as Hiruma came, and Rui forgot himself with the sensations that met his body. He scratched at Hiruma's back and heard his own voice, unfamiliar in his ears;

"Ah...that...feels good..."

"Mm," Hiruma held him tighter, his fingers like claws, and spoke into his neck; "you feel fuckin' good."

It was terrible and wonderful, how good it felt. Rui thought he could lose every match he ever played if he could just feel like this every time...

Then he realised he'd gone a bit crazy. Because only crazy people thought things like that. And only crazy people got fucked,  _literally,_ by Yoichi Hiruma.

He pushed feebly at Hiruma's chest. The wave of bliss was over, and now he was just hot and sticky and kind of sore.

Hiruma peeled away, like he'd read his thoughts.

"You okay?" he said in a voice which was anything but concerned. He was grinning like a cat.

"...yeah. Fine," Rui didn't know what else to say. "I'm...fine."

His brain had obviously had a meltdown.

Hiruma smoothed a hand over his shirt and stood in that annoying graceful way of his, which made everything else seem like a joke, or like it hadn't even happened. His hands were on his hips and he looked as though he'd done something that might deserve a medal.

"So?" he said, like he was waiting for the medal.

"So what?" Rui pulled his pants up, wanting to die for a moment.

"So how was it?"

"Um..."

"How do you  _feel_ , retard?"

Rui didn't like to fuel Hiruma's smug ego. "Okay, I guess?" he shrugged.

"Fuck that. You loved it."

Rui felt his cheeks burn, and then Hiruma's mouth on his forehead as he kissed him.

"I just wanted to fuck a bit of sense in you," the demon said. "Don't tell me I failed?"

Rui stared at him. He found it hard not to smile. "I wish you'd fail for once. Then you'd know what it's like."

Hiruma shook his head. "not gonna happen, sorry."

Rui shoved the demon's face away, trying to mean it but failing. He was trying and failing a lot lately.

Hiruma laughed; "you did love it."

Rui stabbed a foot into one of his shoes. He couldn't remember it coming off. "Y' want a lift home?" he asked the floor.

"Of course."

8

It was quickly getting dark. The sun was almost gone, and Rui wondered how long they'd been in the changing room. It'd all gone so fast. He looked at the football field, and his stomach tightened as he remembered everything.

"I told you, it's not forever," Hiruma said, and pulled at one of Rui's arms. "Only temporary," then the demon smiled, and Rui thought it was almost pleasant, but maybe that was just the dark playing tricks on him.

He yanked out of Hiruma's grip, remembering to be annoyed.

"And anyway," Hiruma didn't seem to notice, "You'll be getting another fuck tonight. Just a sympathy one, though."

"What?"

"Don't tell me that psycho manager doesn't like you."

"Oh," Rui slid onto his bike slowly, waiting for Hiruma to finish grinning at him and just get on the damn thing.

"Just ' _Oh_ '? Don't you want to fuck her too?"

Rui thought about Megu. She was very beautiful, and probably everyone had a thing for her, or at least it seemed that way. Rui hadn't really paid any of it much notice.

"I hadn't really thought about it," he said.

Hiruma's eyes widened just a fraction, then he laughed his horrible laugh.

Rui frowned. "Shuddup, would ya? What's so funny, anyway?"

"Just you," Hiruma reached out and brushed a hand through his hair.

"Quit doing that."

"Am I ruining your cool?"

Rui grunted, and swiped up his helmet. "Just get on the damn bike."

88

Rui didn't get a sympathy fuck from Meg, not that he'd ever been expecting it. But she did kiss him on the mouth and told him where she'd be.

Rui stared at her bedroom door for the longest time, but then bottled out.

He spent the remainder of the night kicking cans round the football field. It was different now, when he thought about Hiruma's face in the changing room, and everything the demon had told him.

He looked at the sky. "Only temporary," he said.

He thought he was getting better at smiling.

 

 


	6. The Rabbit Date That Wasn't One

"I need you to be my partner,"

"What?"

"I need you to be my partner," Hiruma repeated, and barged into Rui's apartment, flinging his jacket on the couch like he'd been there a thousand times before. Of course he hadn't, and at any other time Rui would have worried about how Hiruma even knew where he lived.

"Partner?" he repeated instead.

"Yeah, will you be mine? Hi, by the way," Hiruma smiled like a Cheshire cat. "I'm starving. You got any food?" he walked into the little kitchen.

Rui followed him, feeling like he was in a frightening dream. A nightmare, then.

"You need a partner?" he said again, like then everything would make sense. It didn't really.

Hiruma snapped open a jar of pasta. "Yeah, for the school sports thing tomorrow. So I'm asking you, idiot. You want pasta?"

"Oh, right," Rui leaned against a kitchen unit, waiting for his heart to slow back to it's normal rate, and remembering what a bastard Hiruma was.

"Well then?" Hiruma said waspishly.

"Well then what?"

"Will you be my partner!"

"Uh, well. Whatever."

Hiruma poured some sauce into the pasta. "Whatever? Is that a yes, retard?"

"What's it for?"

"Just a race. No big deal."

Rui folded his arms. "What if I don't wanna?"

"But you do wanna," Hiruma insisted, tilting his head at him.

Rui looked at the ceiling. "I don't. And anyway I'm not that fast."

"Who cares? The love of your life is," Hiruma pointed out the apartment window, where Rui's bike was parked up against the curb.

"The hell?" Rui wasn't sure if it was possible to get anymore confused.

"So that's a yes?" Hiruma said gleefully. "Be at Deimon tomorrow, around, er, let's say midday?"

Rui stared at him. "I don't-"

"And stop talking crap. I know you can run fast."

Rui thought about saying something, but realised he was speechless all over again. It was really annoying how Hiruma did that.

Instead he collapsed on the couch and closed his eyes. He wondered why he couldn't tell Hiruma to fuck off anymore.

A few minutes later he could smell sauce and pasta, and there were fingers tapping his head.

He opened his eyes and Hiruma was balancing a bowl on his chest. "Eat."

Rui sat up and took the food. He was kind of hungry.

Hiruma sat next to him, close enough that their knees bumped together. "What do you think? Best cook ever, right?"

"Mm,"

Rui wasn't an expert or anything. He always ended up snacking on junk foods, or maybe some crappy microwave dinner. Sometimes his brother came home and told him off about that.

"Where's everyone?" Hiruma was looking round the apartment.

"Somewhere," Rui shrugged. "Not here."

"Helpful."

"Well I mean...mom's out, dad's out. Brother's moved out now," Rui caught himself. "Why'd you care, anyway?"

"I don't," Hiruma snorted, and finished up the rest of his pasta. He licked his lips; his teeth gleaming like a wolf's behind them. Then he sloped forwards, so that he was on his hands and knees, and tipped his head to meet Rui's.

Even though it'd happened a few times now, well maybe not that many, Rui still wanted to be indignant about it. And yet he was still failing.

Hiruma's lips pressed into his own, hard and real as ever, and tasting like pasta.

"No-"

His protests faded away. He couldn't get the hang of it; of just pushing the stupid demon and his mouth of teeth away. It should've been so easy...

"They...they could come back any time, you bastard," he said breathlessly, when Hiruma had finished feasting on his mouth.

Hiruma quirked a brow. "Who cares?"

He moved in for another kiss, slow and like he'd planned it all along. Rui wouldn't have been surprised. He wouldn't have been surprised if Hiruma had known Rui was alone in the apartment all along. Hiruma knew everything.

"Ah-" Rui twisted against the demon's weight. His length rubbed up against his pants, and he scrambled with his hands, trying to undo them.

Hiruma got there first, grinning and smug. He wrapped his hand around Rui, working him quickly.

"Do you still care?" the demon asked, almost innocently, and kissed him again.

Rui didn't care; who the fuck would in these kinds of moments? So he told himself, anyway.

He clutched at the couch, digging his fingers in, and arched up against Hiruma.

"Heh," the demon sounded pleased, but far away, and his grip became tight and fast. Rui wanted it to be over, and yet at the same time could have let it go on forever.

His body trembled into Hiruma, and his cry was drowned out in Hiruma's hot mouth. The demon's hand curved round his face, like a steady reminder of who it was, and that Rui had definitely gone crazy.

A clock chimed, and at the same moment the heat disappeared from his mouth, and the pressure against him fell away.

"I gotta go," Hiruma said, looking almost like he could be regretful. Rui wasn't sure if he was imagining it though. He also wasn't sure how he'd ended up splayed out on the couch, hot and shaking, and with the terrible demon sitting over him like that.

"Where'd you have to go?" Rui heard himself ask. Well, at least he still kind of sounded like he couldn't give a fuck.

"Just 'somewhere'," Hiruma said, sort of mockingly.

Rui wanted to curse, but Hiruma was still too close for that. Instead he settled for glaring, and chose to ignore the way Hiruma's mouth twisted up even more. And then how much he still wanted it.

"So you and your bike gonna be there tomorrow?" the demon asked.

It took a moment for Rui to recall anything, then he remembered the stupid race. "Uh...I said I would, didn't I?"

"No, you just conked out on the couch."

"Oh, well yeah, then. I guess," Rui found he couldn't say no.

Hiruma closed the gap between them once more, putting a small kiss on his forehead. "See you later."

Then the demon got up and left.

Rui hauled himself into a sitting position and stared at the dirty pasta plates, wondering what the hell had just happened.

Only minutes later his dad came in, looking grouchy and tired.

Hiruma liked to cut it way too close.

888

"I think you're killing my rep,"

Rui wasn't used to talking to giant rabbits with shotguns about much of anything, but now here he was. The rabbit sat on the back of his bike, and a couple of Zokugaku kids pointed and laughed.

"You could take the stupid thing off now, y'know."

"I could, but I know how much it pisses you off. So I won't."

"You piss me off anyway."

Hiruma laughed, though it was muffled in the suit. "Don't worry, I can still threaten to blow peoples brains out," his shotgun made a clicking sound before the demon tucked it away.

Rui turned grimly. "Ya hardly need a gun to scare people, maniac."

Hiruma's shoulders shook with his laughter, and Rui imagined his face behind the stupid rabbit face. He kind of wished he could see it.

"You enjoyed that, didn't you?" the demon said, and then pulled the rabbit head off.

"Enjoyed what?" Rui noticed the way Hiruma's spiky hair was even spikier, and the grin was even wider than he'd imagined.

"Beating Eyeshield 21 at something. Of course it could only happen with my divine intervention."

Rui rolled his eyes. "Yeah, almost as good as seein' ya in that thing."

Hiruma laughed again, then wrapped his arms round Rui's waist. "C'mon, let's get some food."

"Um...both of us?" Rui's stomach twisted.

"No, me and the bunny suit. Who do you think, retard?"

"I thought-"

Hiruma jabbed him in the ribs. "Think of it as payback for the pasta. Like, I dunno...thanks?"

Rui hesitated, then revved up the bike. "...did that rabbit suit mush ya brain?"

"No, but it's made me really fuckin' hungry. Let's go."

8

"I feel like I'm feeding my heart a million heart attacks," Hiruma said, and chomped savagely on his burger.

They'd ended up out of town in a really old and greasy diner. Rui had never heard of it, and he got the impression neither had Hiruma, from the faces he was pulling.

"I'm sorry," Rui said, feeling like he should for some reason. "But you picked the place."

"You were the freak who liked the area."

Rui poked at his pile of chips. "I said I was sorry, right?"

Hiruma didn't seem impressed. "Y'know, this isn't gonna be like a regular thing, chameleon," he said, his eyes all narrowed. "I told you it's just for the pasta. Although I should be getting another free meal for stomaching this crap."

"This was your idea," Rui pointed out, and attempted to glare. He poked some more at his food. Maybe it'd be easier if he just ate, and pretended he was with anyone but Hiruma.

He felt something warm on his leg, and then a gentle squeeze. They were the demon's fingers. Fuck, but it was impossible to pretend.

He blinked and gave Hiruma what he hoped was an incredulous face. Like that'd work. Hiruma didn't care about things like that.

"Heh," Hiruma said. "You're fuckin' cute when you blush."

Rui gritted his teeth and moved his hand under the table to knock the demon's hand away. But Hiruma snatched it up fast, fingers all clamped round his own; tight at first, and then not so much.

Then Hiruma was just holding his hand.

"You're really warm," Hiruma commented, as though it was nothing different. His long fingers curved, twisting into Rui's and stroking them just a bit. Everything was easy for Hiruma.

Rui's breath hitched. He hated his body; he hated how it didn't want to do as he told it, how it let Hiruma do strange things to it like that. How it let him end up in stupid little diners with horrible food.

But it  _was_  warm, and it did feel good. And Rui knew for sure he was crazy, because he didn't want Hiruma to let go.

_Fuck._

He jerked away, and leaned heavily back against the booth. For a second he thought about trying to be cool, but he'd long since given up that act around Hiruma. Instead he pulled a hand through his hair and tried to forget about how warm his hand felt.

Hiruma swiped some of his chips.

"I thought you hated that stuff," Rui mumbled.

Hiruma shrugged, his mouth a thin, sly line. "Sometimes stuff tastes better, depending on the company, of course."

 


	7. That Other Guy

"I didn't lose this time," Rui told Hiruma.

He was supposed to be telling his team off about how crap they'd played against the Devil Bats, but Hiruma had got there first and had told him not to bother. He'd also pulled him onto the ground and pressed his mouth hard into Rui's.

"It's still  _your_ team," Hiruma said, when he broke away, face all victorious. "Therefore you lose."

"I'm not in it anymore,"

Hiruma shrugged. "Details, details," and kissed him again, even harder.

When Rui was given enough space for air, he pushed his hand against Hiruma's chest and tried to look pissed off.

"I shoulda actually read that damn letter."

"Yeah, you should of," Hiruma smirked. He tilted Rui's head up. "Would have thought you'd know me better by now."

"You just like humiliating me,"

"Yeah?" Hiruma said, like it wasn't a problem. Then he looked like he was thinking about it. "Maybe I just like having you around, stupid."

Rui prickled with the words. Not in a bad way, though. "You're insane," he said.

"Yeah, well you're a freak. It's nice and even."

Rui couldn't argue with that; besides the fact that Hiruma was too busy kissing him again, he kind of agreed anyway.

88

"Can you get me a bunch of footballs, from that place across the road?" Hiruma said, sounding impatient on the phone. "Oh, and some of those purple candies, you know the ones. In the red wrappers."

Rui rubbed his eyes and checked the clock. It was stupid o'clock again, and Hiruma was demanding something even more stupid.

Rui couldn't remember a time he hadn't somehow been looped into doing whatever Hiruma wanted.

"The store is right opposite your clubhouse," he said.

"I know,"

Rui hung up and slung on whatever clothes he could find. Then he hesitated at his reflection in the mirror, and thought about Hiruma being there. He ended up doing his hair a bit more and putting on different clothes.

When he reached the clubhouse Hiruma wasn't there anyway. Rui wasn't so much disappointed as he was annoyed.

"Where's that damn demon?" he asked Sena, who looked small and cautious, like he always did when Rui was around. For a while Rui had found it amusing, now he didn't really care, and sometimes wished the kid would be get more of a backbone.

"Err, he said he'd be here. I-I think he's late,"

Rui looked about, then dumped the bag of footballs in front of Sena. "Well. Give him these when he decides to show up."

He walked away, and pretended to ignore Sena;

"Th-thanks, Habashira-san! It's really appreciated!"

888

Rui didn't see Hiruma for a couple of weeks. He didn't count or anything; he guessed he'd just got used to seeing the demon that often recently.

When they did meet it was in the street and by accident. Rui bumped into a broad chest, and he looked up to see a face he didn't recognise at all.

"Oh, sorry," the guy said at once, and smiled politely.

Rui frowned; the guy was tall and had lots of muscle. Rui wasn't really intimidated by that sort of thing, but instinct and experience sent his hand toward his coat pocket, where his knife was.

"Don't worry about him, it's just Rui."

Rui blinked, and turned his head to see Hiruma.

The demon was close to the other guy, and his hand rested on one of the broad shoulders like it belonged there.

"Rui? Oh, you mean the Zokugaku guy?"

"Yeah, that guy," Hiruma laughed, and it made Rui's stomach hurt. "C'mon, old man."

"Well," the 'Old Man' was still smiling at Rui, but for some reason Rui really wanted to punch him. "Nice to meet you. I'm Musashi."

"Hi," Rui said blankly. He still wanted to punch him.

Hiurma was grinning behind them both. Of course, he would enjoy it.

"C'mon, let's go," the demon slipped an arm round Musashi's back.

"See you around, Rui."

Rui looked at the ground. "Seeya."

He didn't look up for a little while. It was weird, like everything had frozen around him, and he needed a few minutes to catch up with himself.

He waited, but it didn't help. He looked at the figures ahead of him, that had become little specks in the distance. They were really close, and Rui had noticed the way Hiruma looked at Musashi. He knew that look pretty well now.

He felt it a lot when he looked at Hiruma too.

888

"You've been working on that thing two days straight. Don't you think you need to do other stuff? Like eat?"

Megu's sarcastic voice was also concerned. Rui knew her well enough. Nothing ever got past her.

He dropped a spanner and emerged from under his bike. "You wanna go get somethin' to eat?"

Megu's face softened in such a rare moment, and her lips curved a smile. "Alright."

8

It wasn't that Rui was trying to get over Hiruma. There was nothing to get over, and he didn't really give a fuck what Hiruma did with other guys.  _No, he didn't_.

He just needed to do something else, and Megu sat opposite him with her full lips and stern face, occasionally breaking into something different.

The way she laughed, and then the way she reached across the table and touched Rui's hand, it probably should've been something special.

But Rui just felt sick; the sort of sick that hit the pit of your stomach and told you it wasn't right. Even if you so badly wanted it to be.

"Um, I'm not that hungry now," he said, and stood up.

Megu blinked at him; "are you okay?"

She asked that a lot, and she could always tell when Rui wasn't. He was so bad at lying to her.

"I just feel kinda sick," well, that wasn't really a lie. "Sorry."

888

"I've been ringing for like an hour, retard. Where are you?"

"Not doin' your bidding?"

"I can see that," Hiurma sounded pissed.

A smile crept on Rui's face. A bitter one, but it was better than nothing.

"You're still under my slave contract, remember?" Hiruma said. "I got a bunch of stuff that needs doing before the end of the day. You know it's the Christmas Bowl soon, right?"

Rui rolled on his back and looked up at the ceiling. He was lying on the couch where Hiruma had pinned him before, but he was trying not to think about that now.

"I'm done with it," he said, and hoped he sounded fierce. "I'm not your fuckin' slave no more."

There was a tiny pause on the other end of the phone. Then Hiruma spoke; "what's brought this on?" he sounded curious above anything else.

Rui swallowed, privately relieved. He'd expected a round of expletives. "Whaddya think?" he said. "You know I've got a life too, right? Y' think I can go running after you all the time?"

Hiruma laughed spikily. "Believe me, you've not been doing  _any_ of the running."

Rui felt odd with the way Hiruma spoke. "What's that supposed to mean?"

A sigh blew down the phone. "Forget it. I wouldn't want you to strain your oblivious brain."

Rui gripped the phone tighter, feeling it crack. "Think I'm gonna help you out when ya talk to me like that?  _Fuck that_."

His finger twitched, and he wanted to hang up so badly, but Hiruma replied too fast;

"You know I don't mean it, you retard."

"I don't know what ya mean!"

It felt good to yell. Rui didn't intend to keep talking, but somehow his mouth had found a life of it's own. "I never know what you mean! Like what the fuck did the other day mean, when you were with that other guy?"

His breath froze in his mouth; he didn't think he'd be able to breathe again till Hiruma answered him.

The pause on the other end was too long and unbearable.

"Fuck." the demon said at last, and then the phone went dead.

Rui stared at it for the longest time. Then he curled his fingers the rest of the way round, and listened to the break with no satisfaction at all.

" _Fuck_."

 

 


	8. Bruises Included

"Tip your head back some more, damn lizard,"

The kitchen light was far too bright for Rui's eyes, and he squeezed them shut before the cloth dabbed over his right one, making it pang and throb.

"Keh..."

"It will hurt," Hiruma didn't sound very sympathetic. "That's a fuckin' good bruiser."

Rui swore a bit, and had to lean back on the kitchen unit.

He couldn't remember how he ended up at Hiruma's house, or what had become of his bike or the rest of the gang. It was all a weird blur of time, before he'd found Hiruma sitting next to him with a face he'd never thought the demon could pull off. All furrowed brows and wide eyes.

"Who did it? I'll fuckin' kill them," was the first thing Hiruma had said to him.

Rui would've been shocked, but his mind was still gathering itself back together, and occasionally seeing stars. He'd blacked out a couple of times, and was still feeling too sick to be embarrassed about it.

"Okay don't fuckin' do that," Hiruma snapped, holding his head still. "You keep moving, I can't see to do it,"

"I don't want ya to fuckin' do it..."

"Yeah well, I don't want you to keep bleeding over my fuckin' furniture,"

"Urgh," Rui thought he might pass out again. The light was too bright and he could feel himself swaying. He felt the soft warmth of Hiruma's chest, before realising, vaguely, he'd slumped into the Deimon.

"Fuckin' lizard," Hiruma muttered, and guided Rui the rest of the way to the couch. "Just lie down but don't go to sleep."

"What?" Rui murmured, already feeling like he might.

"Think you got some concussion."

"Oh," Rui tasted something warm and hot in his mouth. He spat, and a long streak of red hit the floor.

Hiruma gave him a dangerous look. "Thanks for that,"

"Sorry," Rui muttered. Then something strange lurched in his throat. He tossed onto his side and started to throw up.

"Gah. Not again. Can't you keep that fuckin' mouth shut, chameleon?"

Rui felt a hand on his stomach, settling there and rubbing it, gently. It was soothing, but Rui wanted it and Hiruma to just leave him alone. He tried to get back up.

"Don't you fuckin' dare," Hiruma slapped him down. "Just keep still. Do you know how many fuckin times I've had to clean up this shit?"

Rui rolled his eyes and wiped his mouth. "Ya didn't have to..."

Hiruma smirked, but his eyes weren't amused. "I thought you were dead, you loser. You owe me big for that," he placed something cool on Rui's forehead. "Better?"

"Are ya my doctor now?" Rui asked, slurring his words. He was too drowsy.

"You'd be lucky," Hiruma snorted.

The demon's gaze lingered on Rui longer than it needed to, but then hardened into the familiar scowl that made Rui's heart feel like it was running a treadmill.

"You're a fuckin' punk ass. Why'd you go looking for fights you're obviously not fuckin' good enough to win?"

Rui grinned at that. "Cos I am a punk,"

Hiruma gave him a shove which was more like a pat on the shoulder. It stayed there a little while too, before he finally moved back, and Rui realised there was tension on his face. It reminded him of Hiruma on the football field, when his team were in a tight spot and he was really pulling at straws. It hardly ever happened, of course.

"You okay?" Rui heard himself ask.

Hiruma blinked, blank and then amused. " _I'm fine_ , you idiot," then he crouched properly over Rui, and curved a hand over his face. He kissed him soft on the mouth.

Rui wanted to be angry, and to  _stay_ angry. He'd remember Hiruma's taunting voice and everything he made him do, all the stupid wake up calls, all the teasing and all the free lifts...and then the mouth hot on his own, and the way Hiruma felt against him...Rui thought he could get beat up a thousand times just for that...

 _Fuck_. He didn't even know what he was thinking anymore.

He pushed Hiruma back.

"What's up?" Hiruma said, looking like a kid who'd been denied some candy.

"Is this all some fuckin' joke?"

"What?" Hiruma's ears twitched.

"Why'd you wanna kiss me?"

Hiruma scratched his head, and looked genuinely perturbed. "Is  _this_ a joke? What you're fuckin' asking me?"

"I mean..." Rui didn't think he could look at Hiruma. "Do ya...really like doing this?"

"No, it's fuckin' vile," Hiruma sniped.

Rui recoiled with the words, and for a few seconds he believed them. He thought he'd be sick again.

Then he felt hands light on his face. He opened his eyes, and Hiruma was touching him, actually stroking him in some weird tender way.

"Of course it's good," the demon said. "I fuckin' love it," he paused, and then; "Do _you_  like it?"

Rui didn't need to think; "Yeah," he said, and then immediately wanted to die. "Um...I mean...yeah, I guess."

"Well good. Cos I don't plan on stopping any time soon," Hiruma kissed him again, his hands wandered all along Rui's chest and tugged at his shirt, pulling it up.

Pangs of pain suddenly cut through Rui, and he gasped in Hiruma's mouth.

Hiruma pulled away; "what's wrong?"

"Keh..." Rui took a moment to recover himself, and in that time Hiruma seemed to have figured it out.

"Let me see."

"What?" Rui tried to glare.

"Take your shirt off."

Rui continued to glare, trying to swallow his embarrassment for the entire situation. It was weird enough hearing Hiruma tell him to take his shirt off.

"C'mon," Hiruma moved forward, and did the job for him.

"Fuck off!" but Rui felt those familiar hands peeling away his sticky shirt. It hurt even as the fabric skimmed over his chest, and then he noticed Hiruma's startled face;

"It's not very pretty,"

"It doesn't feel it," Rui squeezed his eyes shut as one of the Demon's hands rested on his ribs. The pain blossomed at once. "Oh...fuck! Don't...don't do that!"

"Do you remember what he looked like?" Hiruma asked, and sounded dark and serious.

"..who?"

"Whoever fuckin' did this!"

Rui tipped his head to the ceiling. "He had dreadlocks. They looked fuckin' stupid."

Hiruma's eyes widened, if only for a moment. Rui took the chance to pull his shirt back down and bat the demon's hands away.

"Someone ya know?" he asked warily.

Hiruma scowled. "Might be,"

"Shoulda guessed. You're friendly with all the lunatics."

Hiruma pulled a face and stuck his tongue out at Rui. "Would explain you, wouldn't it? And I'm not friendly with him,"

"Alright," Rui said.

Hiruma scowled at him. "Never mind. You gonna be okay?"

"Um, sure."

Hiruma didn't look that convinced, but he nodded anyway. He looked at Rui's arm, and Rui followed his gaze, noticing the purplish bruises there.

"Did he do that too?" Hiruma asked.

"I guess," Rui flinched when Hiruma touched the bruise. "can ya quit doin' that!"

Hiruma rolled his eyes, but his expression was soft. He held Rui's arm up, gently.

"I'm just kinda attached to these freakish things," he said, in way of explanation.

Rui swallowed, and felt himself blushing. "Yeah, me too. Like,  _really_ attached."

"Hah," Hiruma's face became mischievous again, and he budged closer. He trailed a hand all along Rui's arm, till he met the join at his shoulder, and then his chest.

Rui shivered and felt dizzy. He held his head and turned away.

"Musashi told me to say sorry," Hiruma said suddenly. He sounded like he was talking through his teeth.

"What?" Rui blinked at him.

"Cos of how I treated you. Shit like that."

"...do you fuck him?"

Rui wasn't sure why he asked, and he half expected a punch for it. He'd blame his concussed head.

Hiruma's face remained steady, not wavering at all. "Yeah, sometimes."

"Oh," Rui didn't know what to say. It was like someone had hollowed him out.

"Rui," it was strange, when Hiruma actually said his name. "I am sorry,"

Rui stared at his lap. "Does he know we did?"

"Yeah," Hiruma smirked. "But I know all about his girlfriend too. So it's all fair."

Rui blinked up at him. "Girlfriend?" he repeated dumbly.

"Yeah," Hiruma moved a little closer. "I'm just his bit on the side, really."

"Am I yours-" Rui didn't get a chance to finish, before Hiruma was kissing him again, deep and soft. His breath hitched, reminding him of all he wanted.

"Heh," Hiruma laughed in his ear. "What do you think?"

Rui moaned and fell back into the couch, letting Hiruma cover him with kisses that alternated between hard and soft. Hands rested so carefully on his chest, testing the area and stroking it with surprisingly delicate hands. Rui watched Hiruma's strangely gentle expression, amazed and confused by it all at once.

He felt the pressure of Hiruma's body become a bit heavier, and then the gentle suck of the mouth against the hollow of his neck, making him moan even more.

He reached out a long arm, wrapping it around Hiruma's back, and keeping him in place.

"You gonna fuck me...or what?" he said.

Hiruma looked at Rui, a knowing smile crossing his face. "Never thought I'd hear you say that,"

"Keh," Rui could forget his embarrassment, when his body was aching like this.

Hiruma grinned spikily, and started to pull down Rui's pants, like the expert he was. The pressure of the demon's body made him curse then, and he grabbed the couch edges, trying not to make another sound.

"Oh shit," Hiruma sat up at once, remembering Rui's ribs. "Sorry,"

Rui shook his head. "S'okay. Feelin' better already."

Hiruma shifted onto the side of Rui, quirking a brow and rubbing a hand up and down the chameleon's fast moving chest.

"See, I'm the best fuckin' doctor you'll ever have,"

Rui tilted his head, so that he could face Hiruma properly. His mouth curved a shy smile he could not help.

Hiruma grinned. "Stop being so fuckin' cute. You know you're just asking for a fuck, right?"

Rui let Hiruma devour him in another long kiss, and as the hand slipped down his torso, he considered, for a tiny moment, just how much fun getting beat up was.

 

 


	9. And You Win Some

"Perfection. It's fuckin' perfection."

Rui edged up to Hiruma, following his gaze onto the field, where a bunch of Deimon Devil Bats were playing against his beloved team.

"Don't you think?" Hiruma turned to him, his grin not waning.

Rui shrugged. "I guess you won't be wanting any good luck wishes, then?"

"Pfft. I don't think so," then the Demon slid his hands round Rui's back, getting much closer than he should.

Rui was still terrified that someone,  _anyone_ , would see them, but at the same time it was a safe feeling. Something he would probably take a risk for.

Hiruma kissed him on the mouth. "Remember when you hated me?"

Rui raised his brows. "I still do. Mostly,"

"Hehe. I know," Hiruma dropped his hands, but didn't get out of Rui's face. "You gonna be there? To pretend you want us to win, and stuff?"

"I guess you'll be mad if I'm not?"

"Please, don't flatter yourself. I couldn't care less about seeing your punk ass, actually."

Rui could believe that, but there were always little things that made him reconsider.

Like now, when Hiruma circled a finger round his right eye, and the tiniest flash of concern marred his demonic features.

"How did you explain that to Megu?"

Rui tilted his head and smiled a bit; "the usual. That i destroyed a 200 pound thug and he got in one lucky punch,"

Hiruma snorted with laughter. "How can she stand your bullshit?"

Rui shrugged. "She's a crazy saint."

"Yeah, I think so. You attract all the crazies, remember,"

Rui thought about pointing out that Hiruma was the worst, but he got the idea that Hiruma was already implying that. Sly bastard.

"Alright, I guess I'll be there, ya bastard," he turned away before he could know Hiruma's expression.

The demon's laugh told him enough, anyway.

888

It was snowing, and the rest of the Zokugaku team were looking at him like he might be a bit crazy. Well, crazier than the usual.

It wasn't like he'd planned it. It wasn't like he'd even wanted the damn snow.

Rui hated the snow, which kind of made it even more insanely ridiculous that he was piling the stuff up in his frozen hands.

Meguu handed him a shovel and smiled gently;

"You're crazy," she commented.

Rui stared round at the piles of snow. At any other time this would have seemed like a despairing sort of task. As it was, Rui had been struck with some sort of motivation that usually only reached him on the football field.

Megu had noticed it more than anyone, and she watched him with a strange sort of pride.

8

The snow bit at his fingers and made him swear quite a bit, but he kept shovelling, and sculpting, like there wasn't going to be another day.

He didn't think he was an arty kind of guy, but other people seemed to think differently.

When the sky was bluish grey with signs of snow, Rui craned his head up, ignoring the frost in his hands and the aches in his arms.

"It's beautiful," Megu said, and she sided close to him. Her hand hovered over his own, but didn't touch it. "I'm kinda impressed."

Rui turned to look at her.

"Megu-"

"They must be really special to you," Megu carried on, like he wasn't talking. "I mean, I knew they were, I suppose. It's just like a little slap, though. Do you know what I mean?" she turned to meet Rui's gaze then, her smile wry and sad.

Rui opened his mouth, wanting to apologise, but her face made him realise she'd already forgiven him.

She was too clever and knew everything. Of course. Rui knew he'd been an idiot to ever consider otherwise.

He hesitated, his hand moving lightly over hers for a moment. The last thing she'd ever take was his pity. She'd probably beat him up for that, actually.

Still, she moved her hand the rest of the way to meet his, and squeezed it delicately.

When she kissed him it was on the cheek, but more intimate and meaningful than Rui had ever known from her before.

"Your hands are fuckin' freezing," she murmured. "Why don't you wear gloves?"

Rui shook his head; "I'm stupid,"

"I know," Megu held him a moment longer and then she stepped back. Her face was a vision of regret which stabbed at Rui, making him feel so terribly guilty. But as quickly as it had come, she quickly rearranged herself into a smile; "now get on with it. Before you actually freeze to death."

88

Somewhere in the background, Rui could hear people arriving to watch the game, and his stomach would twist, trying not to think of Hiruma's face, whatever his reaction might be.

In the end, he went home.

It wasn't like he'd told Hiruma he was stopping for the actual game anyway.

88

Hiruma was waiting for him outside the Zokugaku school. His arms were folded and he looked like he might smash Rui's face in.

Rui walked over slowly and deliberately, with his hands in his pockets, wondering how long he could put off his inevitable death.

In the end Hiruma ran to meet him.

Rui cringed back and half closed his eyes, because for a second Hiruma's hands were in tight fists, and his teeth were beared furiously.

Then something strange happened.

Hiruma grabbed Rui, painfully hard, arms wrapping tightly around his back. It wasn't really a hug so much as it was a death grip. Rui thought his ribs might be popping.

Hiruma's voice was savage against his ear; "why'd you do that?" he squeezed him tighter, and forced a gasp from Rui.

"What?" Rui attempted innocence, smirking on his face. "Do what?"

"Don't make me kill you."

Rui always took Hiruma's threats seriously, but for once he was in control, and he enjoyed the shake of barely contained rage in Hiruma's voice, like the demon could barely comprehend why the fuck anyone would do something like that for him.

"I like snow," Rui lied, feeling kind of gleeful, with the way Hiruma's death grip got tighter. He gasped a bit.

"You..." Hiruma's voice trembled some more, but the hate was melting back, into a realisation Rui barely, if  _ever_ , heard from the demon's mouth.

Cracked ribs, black eyes, chores, stupid games...It was almost all worth it for this. It was kind of precious.

"...thanks," Hiruma's voice was small and cracked. Not even like it was hard for him to say, more like a strange revelation.

It hit Rui too; how much he'd wanted to hear that. So much.

"You're welcome," he exhaled unevenly. "I like...being able to breathe too, though."

Slowly Hiruma's grip loosened, until he was just draping his arms behind Rui's back, and suddenly they were nose to nose, at eye level. For once on level footing.

Rui smiled a bit more, carefully moved his arms around Hiruma's back.

The blur of people around them was only incidental. Actually, Rui didn't give a fuck anymore.

"Do I get a kiss then', as a sorta thank you?" he asked hopefully.

Hiruma's expression, which had been lost in something new and surprised, slipped back into something more familiar. Something that often made Rui's heart skip.

"No," Hiruma shook his head, but tilted closer, so that their foreheads touched, and Hiruma's mouth became a fanged grin of teeth. "Somethin' better,"

He grabbed Rui's arm and led them away.

"Oh. I forgot to ask..." Rui said. "Did you win?"

"Don't ask idiotic questions," Hiruma snarled, but curled an arm round his shoulder, drawing him closer. "Of course we fuckin' did.

Rui rolled his eyes, let Hiruma pull him closer. "I thought I better ask, anyway."

"Don't worry, we can't all be losers. I like to leave that bit up to you."

Rui smiled, letting the dig fly right over him. Hiruma kissed his forehead once more.

It was easy to lose, he thought, when it was for something better.

Hiruma looked demented and dangerous, haloed by winter sun, as they walked toward the Deimon's house for whatever "something better" happened to be.

Rui's nerves jangled with anticipation.

"I don't really mind losing," he said, as Hiruma pushed him back into the wall of his house, then kissed him deeply.

Rui moaned, arching into Hiruma, wanting him more than he could help.

Hiruma's mad Cheshire cat grin momentarily left his face.

"And you win some," the demon said.

Rui wasn't sure, but there may have been a trace of sincerity there.

If that was the case, Rui couldn't imagine a better victory.

 

 


End file.
